Professional Coin Grading Service

1952 Shil, CAPR67CA

Owner's Comments

*1937* King George VI was crowned in 1937 and his likeness replaced King George V on all coinage of the British Empire. He faces left and although it is custom that each new monarch faces the opposite way of the previous monarch, the abdication of Edward VIII, after a short reign, resulted in King George VI facing the same way as King George V. There were no coins struck for King Edward VIII in South Africa (some patterns exist).
The obverse design: head of King George VI. Inscription: GEORGIVS VI REX IMPERATOR. Designed by Henry Paget (HP).
The reverse design: The center of the coin shows the figure of “HOPE” symbolizing the Cape Province. She is standing with her right elbow resting on an anchor with drapes blowing in a light wind. She is facing right and gazing over the ocean. A six-pointed star flanks her left shoulder. Inscription: “SOUTH AFRICA” to the left, the date at top center, “SUID-AFRIKA” to the right and “SHILLING”, flanked by two little flowers to the left and right, at the bottom center. Reverse design artist: Kruger Gray (“KG” underneath the flowing drape).
*1948* A design change was made to the obverse of the coin. The inscription was changed to GEORGIVS SEXTUS REX. With the independence of India in 1948, Great Britain was no longer regarded an empire and thus the removal of the word "IMPERATOR".
*1951* A design change was made to the reverse of the coin. The fonts were changed for all text. The word “SHILLING” was replaced by “1S.”.